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October 21, 2009
Suck It, Budget Hawks
Shocker! The House reform bill with a robust public option is better in almost every way than anything floating around in the Senate.
On Tuesday, House Democratic leaders received a new cost estimate of $871 billion from congressional budget umpires who measured a robust version of a so-called public option for health insurance, according to a Democratic aide. [...]The House bill with the strong public plan would extend coverage to 96 percent of uninsured Americans and significantly reduce budget deficits.
I'll be very interested to see the final scoring of this bill. And I'll be very interested to see how the so-called "fiscally responsible" Blue Dogs react to a bill that's cheaper, that covers more people and that reduces the deficit.
Let's do the public option check list:
-Covers more Americans. Check.
-Reduces the deficit. Check.
-Reduces the cost of reform. Check.
-Offers choice and competition. Check.
-Popular with a clear majority of Americans. Check.
So what's the problem, senators?
Adding... It looks like Speaker Pelosi is preparing to add the robust public option into the final House bill. "Robust" meaning a public option that pays Medicare rates plus five percent. And they're very close to having the votes in the House to pass it. By the way, according to TPM, as opposed to the AP, the House bill would be deficit neutral.
Filed under: Blue Dogs || CBO || Fiscal Responsibility || Healthcare || Public Option
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Posted By Bob Cesca | October 21, 2009 9:21 AM
Comments
It is a beautifully sunny day in the Northeast with good news coming out of the House. I am enjoying this for the short time it will last.
Posted by: ec ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.bobcesca.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 21, 2009 10:19 AM
Let's see these fake ass deficit hawkes try to weasel their way out of this one. What I'd like now is to see a "reporter" catch up with Kent Co Op Conrad and ask him what he thinks of this. Since it kicks his co ops in the crotch he likely won't be pleased! Suck it hard blue dog! This is the beginning of the end of them as well. I look forward to the day that the public option is passed. Then, come 2010 I'd like to see every blue dog up for reelection kicked out of office.
Posted by: roxsteady at October 21, 2009 10:19 AM
There might be growing momentum in the House to re-brand the public option as "Medicare Part E":
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/64029-medicare-for-everyone
Posted by: Eric at October 21, 2009 10:35 AM
